sweetener
UK: ˈswiːtənə | US: ˈswiːtənər
n. a substance used to sweeten food or drink
n. (figurative) something added to make a situation more appealing
The word "sweetener" combines "sweet" (from Old English swēte, meaning pleasant to taste) with the suffix "-en" (a verb-forming element meaning "to make") and "-er" (indicating an agent or tool). It emerged in the 17th century to describe substances that impart sweetness, later extending metaphorically to things that "sweeten" deals or situations. The morphemes reflect a logical progression: sweetness → the act of making sweet → the thing that performs this action.
Artificial sweeteners are commonly used in diet sodas.
Honey serves as a natural sweetener in tea.
The tax break was a sweetener to gain public support.
Some sweeteners have fewer calories than sugar.
The company added a signing bonus as a job offer sweetener.